£1m in fake goods seized from market near Chorleywood

Customers at a new open-air market at Shire Farm, near Chorleywood, had complained to Hertfordshire County Council after being sold counterfeit products.

Alongside Hertfordshire Police, the council’s trading standards officers seized goods worth over £1 million from the market on December 17.

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Trading standards says it is now investigating the people responsible "with a view to bringing criminal prosecutions where possible".

Hertfordshire county councillor Morris Bright, who is responsible for community safety, said: “The sale of counterfeit goods harms unsuspecting consumers as well as legitimate traders.

“Products are rarely manufactured in compliance with safety regulations and can pose a serious risk to health.”

The goods seized included fake clothing, trainers, perfume, leather goods and earphones.

The seized goods (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

The council highlighted that counterfeit perfumes have been found to contain dangerous chemicals.

The source of the goods is also under investigation.

Cllr Bright added: “We want to keep people safe from harm and support the local economy, which is why we’re determined to crack down on people who knowingly sell fake goods.

“We know people are always on the look out for bargains, but we want to remind people that while fake or counterfeit goods might be tempting, they are often a false economy.”